A pair of pensioners have been hailed as the bravest in Salford for stopping a terrifying armed robbery at a convenience store.
Pals Ron Smith, 77, and Robert Anderson, 71 foiled a knife-wielding thug when he tried to hold up the P and H store on Bolton Road in Pendlebury in December last year.
Risking their own safety they stopped the teen robber in his tracks by holding shut the door of the store as the desperate thief tried to flee.
19-year-old Liam Redford, of Whitehead Road, Swinton, was charged with robbery after being caught at the scene and sentenced to two years in jail.
SalfordOnline.com broke the news of how brave passers-by stepped in when the balaclava-clad 19-year-old burst into the shop brandishing a large blade and threatened the 22-year-old woman who was alone behind the counter, screaming at her to pile cash and cigarettes into a bag.
Terrified, she filled a bag with £205 worth of cigarettes and £405 in cash.
But before he could escape with his haul Ron, who had popped in to buy his paper, saw what was happening and reacted by grabbing the shop door and holding it shut from the outside.
He shouted for help and Robert came to his aid.
Read: Appeal to trace elderly have-a-go hero who helped catch Pendlebury armed robber
Holding on with grim determination they kept the door shut despite the robber’s frantic attempts to open it, forcing the teenager to run upstairs and leap out of a first-floor window onto the roof of a minibus in an attempt to escape.
Two more local heroes who were outside at the time dragged him to the ground and held him on the floor until police arrived.
Inspector Dianne Errington of GMP Salford Division said the two men have already been presented with a bravery award by GMP.
“Without their quick thinking it’s highly likely the offender would have escaped. Instead he is now serving two years in jail and all the goods and cash he tried to steal were recovered,” she said.
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jim Battle said: “These two gentlemen are local heroes who have stood up for what is right, sending a strong message to criminals that they are not welcome in Salford. They are representative of the strong community spirit that runs through the city and have been rightfully rewarded for their gallantry by the Chief Constable.”
Photo (L-R): Councillor Peter Dobbs (ceremonial mayor), Jim Battle (city manager), Robert Anderson, Inspector Dianne Errington, Councillor Karen Garrido (deputy ceremonial mayor) Ron Smith and his wife Freda.
